Toon in, Toon out

For animation students:

Some people have asked how I went about drawing the Overwatch cast, so I threw together a list of things I think about when designing characters: shapes, silhouettes, colors, and inspiration.

1. Shapes

There are three basic shapes in my toolbox: round, box, and triangle. If I follow my intuition, each shape conveys a personality. For example:

Round = charismatic, harmless, endearing

Box = reliable, uniform, traditional

Triangle = cunning, dynamic, competent (downward pointing more aggressive)

Shapes can also be combined for more complex characters

2. Silhouettes

Block in the character. If I can still recognize who it is, then it has a strong, readable silhouette.

3. Color

Sometimes less is more. Limit the palette for unity and impact. When working with three colors, keep the 60-30-10 rule in mind. Pick one color to make up about 60% of the character, a second color to make up about 30%, and the last color is about 10%.

When working with just two colors, use the 70-30 rule. One color is about 70%, the second is about 30%.

4. Inspiration

Designs come to mind easier when I’m listening to music, or when I have a mental image of something in mind. For example, I was listening to Klezmer music when drawing Reaper, and I was thinking of a chicken when I was drawing Lucio. It can take a while to warm up, so a good source of inspiration is important to stay motivated.

Beyond that, it’s up to you! 

My animation class at the Academy of Art always hears my co-teacher, Paul Mendoza, and I going on about “strong,” “specific,” “appealing” choices. What does that mean? Let’s take a look at the master, Milt Kahl. 

This drawing is Strong- there’s a bold statement, and there’s no mistaking the character’s objective and the artist’s intent. 

It’s Specific - that’s no ordinary smile, it’s a Shere Khan smile, tailored to that characters behavior and geometry. Even the eye shapes describe his feline aristocracy. 

It’s Appealing -  Shere Khan’s angular straights vs Kaa’s squishy curves creates a very pleasant, funny contrast; Milt uses Glen Keane’s concept of “tilt, twist, and rhythm” throughout both characters to make them feel vital and alive. Above all, the characters seem alive and the mastery of the artwork becomes all but invisible as the scene leaps off the page. 

Inspired (heavily) by my friends and colleagues at Disney passing down information in a great way, I decided to start putting together some notes of my own. Here are just a few of my thoughts on appeal for the face. There will be more to come and hopefully you can find this helpful!